rest
beautiful and functional public seating for the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts
Rest is a multi-functional public seating piece. Viewed from the side, it is in the shape of a quarter rest and serves as an aesthetic point of interest for the otherwise empty lobby.
in the news
After I presented at the 2016 Fall Design Expo, the Segal Design Institute featured Rest in their project gallery. Read the full article here.
my role
In creating this project, my partner, Isabel, and I worked together in conducting user interviews and research. We laser-cut and assembled corrugated cardboard layers to build the prototype and I used Photoshop to create in-context renderings. I later pursued Rest independently and designed a full-scale, high-fidelity manufacturing process for the wooden tectonic assembly.
cardboard seating
Isabel and I created a public seating piece for the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts out of only corrugated cardboard. Since this space is shared by students, faculty, and the public, we decided that our design must not only be multi-functional public seating that meets the needs of different users, but also a beautiful work of art that fits the overall aesthetic of the space.
user research
Through interviews and observations, we learned that students and professors often use the lobby as a meeting point or work space. While the lobby functions well for these purposes, many individuals expressed a desire for furniture to sit or write on.
prototypes and models
Isabel and I first made prototypes at 1/16th scale from layered, corrugated cardboard to communicate the concept. Then, I created three full-size iterations to test the ergonomic design, finding the balance between functional comfort and the beautifully balanced aesthetic of a quarter rest.
Dimensioning based on HumanScale references
Upright ergonomic testing
Reclined ergonomic testing
Laser cut pieces
Iteration 1, 2, 3, and original quarter rest
Since the entire piece is over 6 ft long, it could not be cut on the laser cutter in one piece. I created an alternating pattern of four pieces each that, together, form a profile cross-section. These pieces were spaced at 50% density and secured with horizontal supports. For each full-scale mock-up, I used over 100 sheets of 2”x3” cardboard and upwards of 15 hours cutting and assembling.